America First Policy Institute, a group advising Trump, says its systems were breached
The America First Policy Institute says “hostile foreign actors” breached its systems
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
A group helping to lay the groundwork for a future Donald Trump administration said its computer systems were breached, marking the second known instance that people supporting the former president have been the target of a cyberattack.
The America First Policy Institute discovered the breach last week. It would not say what materials were compromised.
“As the leading policy group in the America First movement, it is not surprising that hostile foreign actors would attempt to infiltrate our IT,” Marc Lotter, the organization's chief communications officer, said in a statement. “The tactics, techniques, and procedures of the threat actor are similar to that of nation-state sponsored activities we have seen, allowing us to remediate and respond quickly.”
AFPI is one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration. It has been publishing policy guides and penning executive orders and draft legislation for Trump to potentially implement if he wins.
It is led by Brooke Rollins, who previously led Trump’s Domestic Policy Council and is widely expected to be a contender for a top job if Trump wins again.
The group also includes Linda McMahon, who led Trump’s Small Business Administration and now co-chairs Trump’s transition team.
The reported breach comes after authorities said Iranian hackers targeted Trump's campaign and email accounts of some supporters and stole some material. Three Iranian operatives have been charged with the cyber attack.
The FBI declined to comment Saturday on the latest reported breach.
The breach was first reported by Politico.
___
Associated Press writer Nicholas Riccardi in Denver contributed to this report.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.